The Magic Realistic work, "the measure of the man," reflects the difficulty of achieving significant society-building progress in the political sphere. But, more broadly, it meditates on both the obstacles and the necessity to overcome barriers in our daily lives as we seek to be fair and do the right thing.
US President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation as an Executive Order in 1863. All persons held as enslaved shall be free is a gloss on the order, but it was limited in many ways. Primarily, it applied only to the southern states that had left the Union. As a strategy, its key point was to save the Union, not free every man. Nevertheless, it was the first significant step in the US abolition of slavery. Lincoln stepped toward "our better angels" in a time of confusion and uncertainty.
"(T)he measure of the man" shows Lincoln sitting in a contemporary tatami room somewhere in Japan. He is out of place and out of time. The round chair and the round ball in front of him suggest the global impact of his leadership. The young African American woman holding the large African-colored bag and chains remind us that black lives are still negatively impacted by the disjoint of two different historical evolutions--colonialism and preindustrial society.
The work was created using the artist's own photography and copyright-free stock images. Three different graphic art programs and Adobe Photoshop were used in the composition.
"the measure of the man" is 12 in x 12 in (300 ppi) . This limited print is framed and delivered by TRiCERA.
